Seahawks’ new coach on board
Like the ambient temperature in Southwest Florida this week, Brad Metheny is warming up to Cape Coral after only being in town a few days.
Metheny, 44, starts his new job as a P.E. teacher and head football coach at Cape Coral High School on Monday.
“I’m anxious to get started with spring football and get the players into the summer weight program,” Metheny said Thursday afternoon after completing his hiring paperwork at the Lee County School District. “I met with the players as a group (Wednesday). After introductions and the first few questions were asked, everyone warmed up, were at ease and it was a very good meeting.”
Metheny takes over the program from Mike Goebbel, who resigned five weeks ago citing health reasons.
Goebbel is the winningest football coach in Cape High history (28-8, .778 winning percentage). He led the Seahawks to the playoffs all three years as head coach.
Big shoes to fill, for sure, but Metheny brings 23 years of coaching experience during which he has never had a losing season. The former player and graduate assistant at the University of West Virginia spent the past four years at Frostproof where he compiled a 34-11 record, won district and regional titles and played in the state final four two of those seasons.
“I was looking to get back into a bigger high school,” Metheny said. “A change to a big high school program or small college, but at my age college no longer in on my list, or it is quickly diminishing. I am here to stay,”
Metheny started his coaching career at Preston High School, a four-school consolidation, in his home county in West Virginia. He coached there five seasons before moving to Florida as defensive coordinator at Lake Wales High School. After two seasons, he taught four years at an alternative education facility while working one year as an assistant coach at Lake Region High School and two years as secondaries coach at Weber University prior to taking the job at Frostproof.
“Cape was one of the better job openings at the time and was the only one I applied for in Florida,” Metheny said. “The interview process with the administration here was conducted in a first class manner. After I met with (principal) Eric McFee it was a totally comfortable feeling. I talked to several college coaches who have been all around to the many all-star games and they said this area has the best overall talent.
“I was surprised by the demeanor of the student body and the players in this school,” Metheny said.
One of the Cape’s attractions for Metheny, who already likes to hunt and play golf, is fishing.
“I think I would like to go fishing more, though it’s not something I have done a lot of,” he said.
Metheny leaves behind two daughters – Lynnsey, 20, and Allison, 16 – who live with their mother in Winter Haven.
Metheny said he will keep the football coaching staff together for the most part, citing similar philosophy.
“I use a balance pass/run game plan, depending on the personnel which will dictate that,” he said. “Mike Goebbel has been helpful with film and personnel and so have the assistant coaches.”
Five of Goebbel’s players signed NCAA Division I football scholarships the past two years, including four from his last team that posted an 11-1 record – Jaylen Watkins (Florida), Jeremy Davis (Miami), Dan Koenig (Oklahoma State) and Spencer Boyd (Notre Dame).
Even Metheny admits it will be difficult to overcome the loss of so much talent.